This year, merchants in Shelby County are hoping that Black Friday will be a red-letter day.

Most are holding huge sales targeted for the launch of the Christmas shopping season, which officially gets under way today with a stampede of post-Thanksgiving bargain-hunters hitting the doors early and often in search of rare items and great prices.

But how does recovering from a recession affect retailers' hopes for a profitable season of sales?

Most in Shelby County are optimistic, because they say sales have slowly begun to pick up lately.

This year, merchants in Shelby County are hoping that Black Friday will be a red-letter day.

Most are holding huge sales targeted for the launch of the Christmas shopping season, which officially gets under way today with a stampede of post-Thanksgiving bargain-hunters hitting the doors early and often in search of rare items and great prices.

But how does recovering from a recession affect retailers' hopes for a profitable season of sales?

Most in Shelby County are optimistic, because they say sales have slowly begun to pick up lately.

The hotel formerly known as the Holiday Inn Express on Club House Drive in Shelbyville, now operating as the Ritz Inn and Suites, was sold at auction Thursday for just less than $3 million.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation had taken the hotel into receivership last month because its former owners, JMG Hospitality LLC, owed more than $2 million in defaulted loans and also had been delinquent on its property taxes.

What we do: Atherton has over 30 years experience in the automotive repair and transmission business. Originally from Detroit, he worked there with various automotive companies – Cottman Industries, A-1 Transmission, Royal Transmissions and other national companies. He has owned several repair businesses and still owns Atherton Transmission in Louisville.